Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁵ My intent is therefore to remind you, since you already know this, that the Lord (after he had delivered the people out of Egypt) destroyed those who afterward did not believe. ⁶ The angels also who did not keep their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day – ⁷ even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the places around them (which in like manner defiled themselves with fornication and followed unnatural desires), are set forth as an example, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.

⁸ Likewise these dreamers defile the flesh, despise rulers, and speak evil of those who are in authority. ⁹ Yet Michael the archangel, when he strove against the devil and disputed about the body of Moses, dared not give railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you. ¹⁰ But these speak evil of those things that they do not know. And the things they know instinctively, as do animals that are without reason, in those things they corrupt themselves.

¹¹ Woe be to them, for they have followed the way of Cain, and are utterly given to the error of Balaam, for the sake of personal gain, and perish in the treason of Korah. ¹² These are spots who of your kindness feast together, without fear feeding themselves. Clouds they are without water, carried about by winds, and trees without fruit at gathering time, twice dead and plucked up by the roots. ¹³ They are the raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. They are wandering stars, to whom is reserved the mist of darkness forever.

¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied before of such persons, saying, Behold, the Lord will come with thousands of saints, ¹⁵ to give judgment against all men, and to rebuke all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all the hard words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. ¹⁶ These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, whose mouths speak proud things. They have others in great reverence for the sake of advantage.

¹⁷ But you, beloveds, remember the words that were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ how they told you that there would be beguilers in the last time, who would walk after their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These are makers of fleshly sects, not having the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, dearly beloveds, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ and keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.